I'm so glad to hear this: "It is clear that traditional game consoles face big competition from small devices." In our family, all work and no gaming makes Jack/Jane a dull boy/girl! Seriously, gaming has been pretty limited on the tablets, after being accustomed to the graphics-rich games on the PC.

Actually! I realize now that if I'm having thoughts on wether to buy a gaming console or a tablet, then this means they are competing between each other. The touch interface of a tablet is very intuitive and kids like it a lot. The only advantage I think the gaming console has is that allows playing two or more players at once. And the games can be big in terms of the story involved and specially if it's an RPG one.

I think the competition between tablets and gaming consoles is legit. It's one of the reasons that ABI Research cited recently when predicting the new generation gaming consoles would not sell as well in their first five years on the market as the previous generation (see Slower Growth Projected for New Gaming Consoles). For hard core gamers, there is no question: they want the most advanced graphics and processor performance. But for casual gamers, I think tablets and smartphones and STB consoles pose a real challenge to the big expensive gaming consoles.

Change these days is so fast that the best strategy is do everything. If anyone had told me that small devices will dismantle the gaming consoles few years ago, I would argue that user experience matters and would never be sacrificed. But that is happening in our time. It is perpertual chaos and firms like Google are living the dreams.

Although I wouldn't consider myself a "gamer" I have sampled many games available for the iPad and I'm not sure they have that much to apologize for, even when compared to their counterparts on the PC or dedicated platforms.

Chromecast is very interesting. I remember when Apple created new products instead of struggling to deliver incremental updates. I'm glad Google has the chops and drive to try new things. I like being amazed and surprised.

ChromeCast is a very good product introduced by Google. It it really works well on all the platforms discussed in the article, then it will be a very good help for those who want to connect computing device and a TV. There are many solutions of these sort but most of them are not doing well in terms of picture clarity and resolution. As it is from Google it will be a quality product.

First, chrome is seen as a $11 device: three months of netflix($24 value) + chromecast at $35. That's a really good deal.

Second, the user interface should be very nice and natural.

Third, it's relatively open. You can stream content from all kinds of sites on the web and local pc files. Since a lot of content is availble for web but you have to pay for cable to get it on TV, that's also a big deal(assuming providers won't find a way to block it). Also, it opens some ways of easy piracy.

Chromcast seems interesting enough, if you want to lug this PC around. Or you can forget about Chromcast and simply plug the PC into the TV directly, using the TV screen as your PC monitor. That might mean you dedicate the PC to the job of Internet TV receiver (and anything else you want to do with that PC).

HDTVs and PCs have made this convenient and simple. You can either use HDMI from PC to TV, or you can use the RGB video and PC audio mini-phone plug, directly to the TV set. (Then, from TV set, you can feed a high quality audio system, and be amazed at how good Internet TV audio really is!)

As others have said, this allows all manner of Internet TV access, which the likes of Roku and AppleTV do not. I wonder why anyone would consider devices that only give you to access a handful of pre-determined Internet TV sites, when so many are available these days, and more appearing all the time.

@Bert: Chromecast plugs into the TV's HDMI slot and acts as a WiFi dongle. It can be controlled from any other devcies such as a smartphone or tab, no need for a PC, b ut you can use that too if you like.

True, Rick. I guess I was focusing more on the watching TV aspect. But you're right. To get any manner of content to the large TV screen, such as pictures from a smartphone, this is a nice, low cost, simple solution.

Specifically for watching Internet TV, using an iToy or Android (or AppleTV or Roku)ends up limiting you for choice, compared with what you can get with a PC. So either you have that PC with you, or you dedicate the PC to the TV screen, via aforementioned connection options, and control it remotely with wireless mouse (and keyboard, to enter new links).

This would give you access to a huge assortment of Internet TV portals out there.

No, It can be used with any mobile phone or tablet with bluetooth connectivity. This device will be more useful for these users only. Otherwise PC itself will be having enough larger screen to work with.

At such a low price point, and with such an unobtrusive form factor, Chromecast could be a game-changer with respect to cord cutting (dropping cable and/or satellite TV). Easy access to Netflix & YouTube without needing a set-top box or a game console -- just a dongle -- makes this device very interesting. Google says Pandora support is on the way, but I've heard no mention of HuluPlus. If they add support for that too, then Chomecast moves from "very interesting" to "compelling."

I'm pretty sure that content companies will add support soon. Chromecast is designed in such a way to frighten them into doing so. Although currently, theoretically they could block TV access, Google, with a flick of a switch could enable streaming of everything including pirated content, easily, without a way to block this.
That's goggle's way of saying :either be on my platform, or we'll let all hell break loose for you. But if you join, we will assure you get tons of customers.

No, I do not think that will be that much successful initiative from Google, as on the other side there are many open source hardware development boards are available with HDMI port and porting of Embedded Linux or Android with this you can very well have similar access as discussed in ChromeCast. I have also came across some similar devices being sold by Mobile Service Providers as well.

What the hardware does is pretty trivial. But it's very low cost, have got a lot of marketing behind it, and will be tied to all kind of apps/content , and maybe even google tv ads. This isn't something trivial to copy.

@hm: The bean counters say Android has Apple in its rear view mirror in market share, but I suppose they are still watching closely for any design ideas--like an iTV. Pichai said he runs the Google TV group too and said he expects it to ramp over the next several years. Hmmmm

I think no other company right now that Apple can create a market for a product. It used to be other-way-around case that there is a consumer market that companies could target. So, the strategy for companies to keep a close watch to Apple and follow their lead is understandable.

the presentation might be lackluster but products are excellent as compared to the price points. Since last year or so Nexus is eating into the shares of Samsung and HTC shares. Whether it can start eating Apple's share is worth to watch.

According to the article, "The new Nexus 7 is the first device to ship with Android 4.3. Its major new features include support for Bluetooth 4.0 and OpenGL ES 3.0". I have not tested this Nexus 7 yet, but the screen looks like it will be great for playing games.

First of all, I like the Nexus 7. 1920 by 1200 is legit! Particularly in a device that size. that being said, I don't understand how people are jumping up and down about chromecast. Is it a combination of DLNA and Wifi? Or yet another Apple TV like format? Or is it a wireless substitute for an HDMI cable?

It seems to me to be a wireless replacement for HDMI cables, but that said, my PC isn't near my TV and my wifes iPad doesn't have HDMI output. So, actually, it's better than just a wireless replacement for HDMI cables. It's that, AND you don't have to move your computer close enough to the TV to be connectable with an HDMI cable.

No prob. The computer is upstairs but the blue ray and the ps3 can talk over wifi. {lus, they are already hooked up to the TV via my 1000watt receiver. I don't want to give up hifi audio. So Wifi enables HiFi so Why Fly to Chromecast?